Poison the Elements
by HazelxLaShay
Summary: Ayame is a rare dragon demon; one that everyone wants to get their hands on. With a mating gone wrong, she looks to her best friend, the ever stoic Lord Sesshomaru as a pretend suitor. Will her cherished friendship become something more? Or will Ayame's world shatter around her? SesshomaruxOC
1. Prologue

It was hard growing up in a dysfunctional family. My father loved me. My mother hated me. My parents hated each other, but put up with one other for the sake of the lands and our people. Nothing that I ever did was right in my mother's eyes. My only escape from her was with the decennial meeting between my father and the Lord of the Western Lands, Inutaisho.

Lord Inutaisho was…great, to say the least. He treated me like his own and I adored his son, Sesshomaru. He and I did almost everything together. Well, Sesshomaru absolutely loathed me, but once I told his father, he did whatever I wanted him to do. Like now, for instance.

"Lord Inutaisho! Sesshomaru won't play with me!" I wailed, stomping my tiny little foot on the ground. The death glare coming from my friend was enough to send even the greatest taiyoukai running for the hills. But not me; I know his weakness. "LORD INUTAISHO!"

"Silence, girl," Sesshomaru seethed, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards my garden. A triumphant grin made its way across my face with a satisfied 'humph.'

Taking over, I lead Sesshomaru over to my rose bush, forcing him to sit down in front of it. His glare was still directed at me, but I could see the curiosity lurking behind the murderous look. I took my time straightening out my kimono until a low growl rumbles through my friend's chest.

"Okay, okay," I chuckled, plopping down next to him. With a sigh, all playfulness is gone and a heavy silence settled upon us.

"What is wrong?"

Stunned, my head snapped up to look at Sesshomaru. His golden eyes bored into my own turquoise ones, all traces of his glare gone. Instead, he looked worried. Well, as worried as a stoic person can look.

"Oh, um," I mumbled, turning my eyes to the ground. "Nothing is wrong. I was just… Um…"

"Spit it out, girl!" he snapped, growing impatient.

"I wanted to show you something, but Mother says that I shouldn't because people could find out about me and try to hurt me." I turned my gaze onto Sesshomaru. "But you wouldn't hurt me, right?"

With a sigh, he replied, "No."

A smile creeps its way across my lips and I bounced in my seated position. "Okay, then, watch this!" I held out my hand, palm upward. "Come on, don't be shy," I cooed, leaning forward slightly. A small tremble shook my rose bush before tiny vines covered in thorns began making their way towards me. "See? Aren't they pretty?" I peeked up at Sesshomaru to see his bewildered expression. My eyes widened and the vines hurried back to their bush. "Please, don't tell Mother!"

"She already knows."

Faster than lightning, I'm on my feet, spinning around to face the intruder. My eyes widened even further. "F-Father?"

Father stood there with a grin on his face, Lord Inutaisho right behind him. "You know your mother has eyes like an eagle and ears like a bat. Besides, with as much youki as you were letting out, anyone within a 3-mile radius would know what you were up to." I could feel the tears welling up just imagining all the things Mother would say and do to me. Honestly, I didn't mean to upset her. I just wanted to show my best friend what I could do. I just wanted to prove that I wasn't as weak as he thought me to be. Father kneeled down to my level, pulling me into a tight hug just as Mother came around the corner of the palace.

"What is going on here?" Mother hissed, her eyes trained on me.

"Now, Hitomi, it's not what you think," Father pacified, standing to his full height with me on his hip. "I asked her to show Lord Inutaisho and his son just what the Ryuu Clan is made of."

Mother's eyes narrowed into slits. "You spoil her too much, Ryuusuke. You know as well as I do that her youki spiked long before you made your way out here!" she sneered, not caring about the guests. Father rolled his eyes, a lazy grin on his face as Mother bitched him out. "Are you even listening to me?! You don't take anything seriously, do you?!"

Father's face fell, a cold look replacing his smile. "Yes, I take my daughter and my people seriously. That's all that really matters, isn't it?"

Mother huffed in anger before her glare returns to me. "You can't protect her forever, Ryuusuke." And with that, she stormed away, back into the palace.

"Eh, don't worry about her, Ayame. Just swat her if she gets too close!" Father joked, laughing along with Lord Inutaisho. I couldn't force myself to laugh. I knew that once Father left to go patrol later that Mother would extract her revenge. I just prayed that Father wouldn't take too long. If he did, I probably wouldn't survive the night.


	2. It's On

"Father! Father!" I called, roaming the lower halls of the palace. Father was around here somewhere, probably hiding from Mother and I. As a man, he quite enjoyed his space and his peace. I could only imagine how horrible it must be to live with two women who depended on him for practically everything. "FATHER! I KNOW YOU HEAR ME!"

A hand shot out from one of the rooms I'd just passed, covering my mouth and dragging me inside. "Could you possibly be any louder?" Father hissed, letting me go to shut the door. With a smirk, I sucked in as much air as my lungs would allow, ready to belt out his name at the top of my lungs. Father covered my mouth in the nick of time. "Please, don't do that. You know your mother is angry enough as it is."

It was true. I'd accidently destroyed her Azalea bushes with a lightning technique earlier this morning. I smiled to myself, thinking back to how it happened.

_I stood in the training grounds right across from Mother's garden. Honestly, I don't even know why Mother decided to plant a garden right by the training ground. I think it's so she could pretend to garden while watching the soldiers exercise and whatnot. Harlot. _

_I took a deep breath and extended my right arm to the sky, pointing my index and middle fingers upward. Unleashing my youki, dark clouds began to form in the sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Releasing my youki from the tips of my fingers, lightning strikes and is pulled into my fingers. _

_"Oh, shit!" I cried out, gasping for breath. It felt like I was being burned alive. Sure, I'd tried this technique before, but I'd never released so much energy before! I knew I'd have to expel the electricity from my body some kind of way. Glancing around, my eyes narrowed on the Azalea bush._

Needless to say, I panicked and zapped Mother's bush. She wasn't too happy and told me off for a good hour. After that, I went in search of Father.

"It was an accident," I whined, pouting up at my father. While I was only about five-foot-four, Father towered over me by at least a foot. However, I knew that I'd grow some more. I was only two hundred years old and wouldn't hit my growth spurt until the three hundredth year. "You know that. Besides, who puts a garden by the training grounds?"

Father's laugh echoed around the room. "Only your mother. You know that." I smirked, going over to Father's desk located against the wall opposite the door, plopping down. "Now, what can I do for my favorite daughter?"

"I'm your _only_ daughter!" I giggled. Father smiled warmly at me. I sighed heavily, slumping into the chair. "I just wanted to get away from Mother. She bitched at me for over an hour!"

"Now, now, Ayame. You know better than to electrocute your Mother's plants," Father chastised. Had I not have been watching my Father, I wouldn't have noticed the large grin on his face. He wasn't really serious, but we both knew Mother was standing right outside the door. Curse her and her bat ears! "Your mother worked hard to plant those Azaleas and here you are, destroying them without a second thought. For shame! You're much too old for this, Ayame." Father playfully wagged his finger at me. "Why, if you weren't in your two hundredth year, I'd lay you over my knee and give you what for!"

I snickered quietly before replying. "Yes, Father, I understand. It won't happen again."

"Good. Now…" He paused, giving me a mischievous grin. I shook my head slowly, my eyes widened in a threat. "Go apologize to your mother."

My eyes narrowed into slits, my lips pulling back into a silent snarl. Oh, Father, payback is a bitch! If this is the way he wanted to play, then play I shall. "Yes, sir," I sneered, an evil smile slowly spreading across my cheeks. Father's eyes widened slightly before narrowing into a glare. Challenge accepted. Pulling myself from Father's chair, I made my way to the door behind him. "It's on," I whispered to him, yanking open the door to face my mother.

Even as I closed the door behind me, I could hear his whispered words: "That it is."

Later that evening, Mother called for a family dinner. Apparently, some clan was coming to seek a mating between their son and myself. Needless to say, I was quite grumpy throughout dinner. The stupid fool wouldn't stop looking at me and Father's glare never left Mother. She never told him about this meeting and he was not pleased. Hell, I don't blame him. Stupid bitch went behind his back and tried to ruin my life.

To be honest, Ichiro wasn't all that bad looking. With his shoulder length dark blue hair, lavender eyes, and tall, deliciously muscled figure, he was something nice to look at. His personality, however, was something that needed to be worked on. Along with his…affectionate side.

My foot kicked out to the right, catching the bastard in the shin. He'd been trying to put his hand between my legs and I was NOT having that. He jerked in surprise and pain, surreptitiously clutching his smarting leg.

"Are you alright, Ichiro, dear?" Mother asked, a sickly sweet smile on her face. I almost gagged at the fakeness. Father's glare locked onto Ichiro. He gulped.

"Y-Yes, Lady Hitomi. Everything is fine," he replied, soothing his leg.

I grinned to myself in triumph as the conversation continues. It had been this way ever since he'd sat down next to me. He was lucky that Father was too busy glaring at my Mother or else he'd be in for a world of trouble. Father would have questioned the both of us until he figured out what really happened and everyone knew just how protective he is of me. Especially around males. And it would only get worse as my three hundredth year approaches and I go into heat. Poor little Ichiro.

Feeling his hand creeping back into my lap, I attempted to kick him again, but the idiot actually learned from his mistake. As I go to swat his hand away, his right grabbed mine as his left finally pushed its way between my legs. My eyes widened in disbelief and –completely on its own accord—my left hand curled into a fist and lashed out at poor Ichiro's face. The breaking of his nose echoed throughout the dining room as well as his cries of pain.

"What's going on here?" Ichiro's father, Masomi, cried out, rushing to his son's aide. His mother, Yukira, glared at me. Mother rushed over to help Masomi with his son. "Ichiro! Ichiro, are you okay?"

"I am _so_ sorry!" Mother cried, false tears leaking from her eyes. "Ayame has never done anything like this before! I am so _ashamed_!" At the last word, mother turned her glare upon me, a silent promise for pain after the guests left. I gulped in fear. "It will never happen again!"

"See to it that it doesn't," Yukira sneered, her lips pulled back in disgust directed towards me. She stood from her chair to stand by her mate, peering down at her son.

I glanced up at Father, who sat watching me, a question in his eyes. I shrugged my answer, continuing to eat. You're very lucky, Ichiro. Very lucky indeed.

**A/N: Okay, so... What do you think? Good? Bad? Should I continue or delete it? **


	3. Reunion

I trekked around my room, humming a sorrowful tune. Almost my entire kimono collection was strewn around my room. Nothing seemed to be perfect enough for this occasion. Today was around the time that Lord Inutaisho and Lord Sesshomaru would have been coming for their meeting with my father. The only difference is that this time, I would have attended the meeting as well, for today is also my three hundredth birthday. It was a time of great celebration and maturity. Soon, I'd be going into heat and I will also be able to be mated without the consent of my parents. Although, that probably wouldn't have stopped Father from getting a say in the matter.

However, today was not a joyous occasion. Father had died a full moon (about a month) ago while patrolling the lands. It came as a surprise to us all, especially to me. No one or nothing _ever_ messed with my father. He may have been a jokester, but his temper was nothing to play with once he lost it. I was also the one who took Father's death the hardest. I refused to eat and only drank water when I needed to. It was hard to wake up knowing that he wasn't going to be there. Lord Inutaisho and Lord Sesshomaru came for the burial, but had to leave shortly after. I wished I'd went with them. Mother's brutality had only gotten worse since Father's death. I had no one to be a buffer between us and her new mate wasn't any better.

That's right. Mother has another mate. His name is Ryonji and they mated a few days after Father's burial, which I found highly suspicious. Not only did I find that suspicious, but the supposed cause of Father's death was weird. He wasn't attacked nor did he put up a fight, but faint traces of youki were found in the area around his body. No one else believed it, but I figured that whoever killed my father was someone that he knew and trusted. But, I knew that it wasn't the Lords of the Western Lands. They'd never do that to my father. So, that only left one other person.

"Hurry up, you stupid girl," Mother sneered, stepping into my room. I stared up at her with a stoic expression. "Did you forget? Your new mate will be here soon and you look absolutely disgusting!"

"Yes, Mother." I'd long since learned not to go against Mother's wishes once Father died. It never ended well for me. "I will be right down."

"You'd better."

With one last sneer, she turned and exited my room. I waited until I no longer heard her footsteps before resuming my melancholy tune. Finally, I found a dark, solid purple kimono and put it on. I tied the black obi around my waist sloppily and ran my fingers through my hair repeatedly. I knew Mother would fix my kimono, but there was no taming the mess of hair on my head. Father used to always say that I got that from his mother, but I'd never met her. She died long before he ever mated and his father pined after her long after her death until he eventually lost the will to live without his mate. Thankfully, Father was old enough to care for himself and the Northern Lands.

"Would you like some help, Lady Ayame?" a soft voice questioned from the entrance to my bedroom. Peeking over my shoulder, I noticed one of the human maids standing there. I didn't know her name, but she was nice. I nodded, standing still so she could fix my clothing. "You look very beautiful, milady. Like a _true_ Lady of the North."

"Thank you…" I trailed off, not knowing what to call this sweet woman.

"Mai," she finished, turning me around so she could see my face. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a neat bun and her green eyes sparkled even without copious amounts of light. She was shorter than my five-foot-seven frame and appeared to be about sixteen human years. "My name is Mai, milady."

I nodded to her to let her know I understood. With a sigh, I straightened my posture and made my way down to the Devil's chamber.

"Ah, Lady Ayame! Don't you look marvelous today! Doesn't she look beautiful, Sesshomaru?" Lord Inutaisho bellowed as I stepped into the dining hall.

I couldn't help it. A grin spread across my face and I ran into his arms. It felt good to be around someone who loved you and it felt even better to be hugged by them. I felt the tears I'd held at bay for so long slip out and I cried into my surrogate father's chest. He held me until no more tears would come.

"Thank you, Lord Inutaisho," I smiled, thankful for his presence. He'd never know just how much I loved him and his son.

"It's no problem," he replied. Grinning, he mock-whispered, "You should go hug Sesshomaru as well. He's been worried about you." It was loud enough that I heard a snort come from Sesshomaru's direction and I couldn't help but to laugh, tearing myself out of Inutaisho's arms to fall into Sesshomaru's.

"I have missed you, Sesshy," I whispered against his chest. I forced his arms around me. "You have missed me as well, have you not?" I asked, looking up into the golden orbs I loved so very dearly.

"You have this Sesshomaru mistaken for his father. This Sesshomaru misses no one," he replied very stoically, might I add.

Nevertheless, a smile appeared on my face anyways. I knew he missed me if the lingering of his arms around me after I'd let his hands go was any indication.

**A/N: Okay, so I know the chapters are short, but there's a reason for that. You'll see. But once the story gets to the main part, then the chapters will get longer. I promise. **


	4. Fear

**A/N: Okay, so first and foremost, I want to thank ****AmyRoseAlice**** and ****The Blue Monster Cake**** for the wonderful reviews. I couldn't stop smiling to save my life. I'm really glad that you guys enjoy this story and I'm trying to keep it as original as possible. Also, if you want to see the characters, go to my page for the link.  
**

**Happy Readings!**

* * *

It wasn't long until Mother found my "perfect match," as she called him. His name was Takken; a dragon demon from my clan. He stood a whole head and a half above me and was as wide as a tree trunk with muscles the size of my head. He had short brown hair and ominous red eyes. Two giant red horns protruded from his hairline, curling backwards and around to look like the horns of a ram. I hated looking at him. He made me feel…weird, I guess you could say. It always seemed as though he was plotting something.

"Ayame, be a dear and show Takken around. He'll need to know where everything is if he's to be staying here," Mother ordered, that fake ass smile plastered on her face. I wanted to smack it right off.

"Yes, Mother," I sighed, cursing my luck. Father would not have been pleased. Too bad he's no longer here. Turning, I walked off in a random direction, not wanting to look at Takken. "Follow me."

I showed him the entire castle, except for the things that belonged to Father. Mother had tried to get rid of his things, but I threw a tantrum that included lots of tears and verbal threats, and she had no choice but to keep his things. They were my security items. When I had nightmares or when things between Mother and I got rough, I went into Father's old study and just sat there amongst the memories until Mother had something else to bitch about. It was a never-ending cycle.

"You don't talk much, do you, My Lady?" Takken asked, speeding up his pace to walk beside me. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye with a shrug.

"I have nothing to say," I replied, turning my eyes to the ceiling of the second story. I was showing him the guest floor. "I am being forced to mate with someone I don't love, my father is dead, and my best friend is nowhere to be found. You wouldn't want to talk to anyone else if you were me, would you?"

"No, I suppose not," Takken chuckled, reaching over to grab my hand. I snatched it away from him. I didn't want him near me and I sure as hell didn't want him touching me. The less interaction we had, the greater the chance that he'd find someone else. Or so I hoped.

"I would prefer it if you didn't touch me. _Ever_," I stressed, crossing my arms across my chest. I didn't want him to make a grab for me again. I'd be tempted to kill him if he did.

"You know, _Ayame_," he sneered, grabbing my arm and pulling me to a halt. The force caused me to whip around to face him. "One day, you will be mine and I'll be able to touch you whenever I so please. It'd be in your best interest to get used to it now, or else you'll—AHH!"

I cut his rant off with a push of my heated youki. Any hotter and I'd have set the palace on fire. The look in Takken's eyes as he glared at me was priceless. I felt and saw his astonishment as well as a tiny bit of fear. I was not one to mess with. I had the potential to be stronger than all of them.

"You will do well to watch your tongue, _Takken_," I sneered back. "We wouldn't want you to turn up missing now, would we?" He snarled at me and I snarled back, my chi pushing him against the wall about 30ft away. I wanted to shove his pompous ass through the wall, but Mother wouldn't like that. Neither would Ryonji, for that matter. And Father would turn over in his grave. So, I settled for pinning him to the wall with both my youki and my glare. The sweat pouring off of his body almost made me laugh. Luckily, I held it in. I don't think he'd take too kindly at being laughed at as well as humiliated. "Do NOT disrespect me." With a final shove of heat, I turned on my heel and stormed off to the training grounds. I needed to let off some steam.

* * *

I pushed my legs faster, ducking and dodging low branches and sharp bushes. Yes, I was running away. Takken had told Mother what I'd said and done to him and Ryonji took it upon himself to punish me. I paused at a large tree to catch my breath. I reached up to my right cheek, wincing at the sharp pain. He'd done some serious damage. It felt like the whole right side of my face was on fire. Scenting the air, I took off once more. I prayed that I'd make it to my destination before anyone found out I was missing.

I rolled my eyes at my stupidity. With Mother's bat ears, she probably knew I left the moment I stepped foot outside the palace gates. I never knew just how that woman could hear things so well. When Father was alive, I'd sworn to him that Mother could even hear the thoughts of others if she listened hard enough. He had laughed at me and told me that it wouldn't have surprised him if she could. Now, I was starting to think that he knew all along that she could read minds. I wouldn't be surprised.

Breaking through the tree line, I skid to a halt, looking out over a cliff at unfamiliar lands. It had been so long since Father brought me here. I don't remember exactly where to go. I knew it was around here somewhere—

"Well, well, well! What have we here?" a raspy voice taunted, startling me. I whirled around to face the newcomer, but didn't see anything. I kept my back facing the cliff. "You lost, little dragon?"

"I don't know," I retorted, taking in my surroundings. The trees made it hard to see. "Are you?" An airy chuckle sounded from somewhere in front of me. It was a stupid idea to run away, especially during the night. Father used to tell me about the creatures that lurked in the shadows. He always said that just because you couldn't see or sense them didn't mean that they weren't there. I wished I'd listened to him. "Stop fucking around!" I demanded, growing annoyed. "Show yourself!"

"As you wish, milady."

From the tree line emerged a giant black disgusting spider demon and a shudder forced its way down my spine. It had eight long, lithe legs and a giant hideous body. Its fangs didn't look too friendly, either. I didn't know if it was male or female. All I knew was that it was a spider and I was terrified of spiders. When I was a little girl, Father took me on a patrol with him and I was almost taken by a group of spider demons. Father killed them all, but my fear is still there.

My only escape was to kill it. Another shudder wracked my body as I imagined the different ways to end the creature's life. I didn't want to be anywhere near it, so my best bet would be long-ranged attacks. I had the utmost faith in myself to defeat the giant nasty.

"Alright," I mumbled under my breath. "Here goes nothing." As I rushed towards the youkai, I nearly die of shock. There, behind the initial spider, were about five extra pairs of glowing yellow spider eyes.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I screamed to the heavens. "I just can't catch a break, can I?"


	5. Screwed

It was dark when my eyes finally managed to open. I didn't know where I was nor did it smell familiar. Then again, I hadn't been outside of the Northern Lands in such a long time. Unlike most youkai, dragons didn't have a prolonged memory of smells unless it was a place they'd been to multiple times. It was both a blessing and a curse. Groaning, I pushed myself into a sitting position, regretting it instantly. I couldn't determine how many injuries I had, but judging from the amount of pain coursing through my body, I'd guess it was a lot; way more than I'd ever had before.

"Ah, you're finally awake!" a little voice exclaimed in glee. "Master will be most pleased!"

"And you are…?" I asked into the darkness. I couldn't even sense the being the voice belonged to and that scared me more than anything. Not only was I in unfamiliar territory, I was also completely vulnerable and I did NOT like that. At all.

"Oh, right!"

With a flash of light, the room was illuminated by an array of candles. I closed my eyes in pain for a brief second before reopening them. In front of me was something very terrifying: a little spider youkai. Her glowing yellow eyes were fixed on me and the joyful grin on her face showed off the four pairs of fangs in her mouth; two pairs on each side located at the top and bottom. She stood on two legs, but had six arms; six long, black, disgusting arms. A shiver wracked my frame as I struggled to maintain my composure. Father always told me never to show your enemy that you feared them. _Screw you, Father._ She thought, swallowing hard. _You weren't the one terrified of spiders._

"So… What's going on?" I asked, breaking the heavy silence. "Why am I here? Where exactly is _here_?"

"Oh, well, you were captured by my clan and taken to our territory. I can't tell you where that is, seeing as though you're a prisoner—" I looked around the room at her words. I was in a cell which looked to be in a dungeon. It had three ways of hard, heavy stone. The other wall wasn't a wall, but rather large vertical bars of hard metal. She was a prisoner indeed. "—and you might run off and have someone kill us. We wouldn't want that. We don't really want to die, you know, but—"

"Why am I here?" I hissed, glaring.

She was shocked if her face was any indication. Apparently, the prisoners never talked back. Well, I wasn't just any prisoner, damn it! I was a Lady! And I'd be damned if I allowed anyone to walk over me! _Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Ayame._

"W-Well, I—we… Um…" she stuttered, fidgeting under the weight of my glare. I'd heard it was pretty scary, but nowhere near as scary as Lord Sesshomaru's. Speaking of Lord Sesshomaru, I really hoped I made it out of here. Alive, preferably.

"Spit it out already!" I yelled, the ground shaking from the force.

"Hmm, interesting," a voice mused from above me. My head snapped towards the voice and I had to stifle a spider youkai. Unlike the girl in front of me, this one was more spider than man. The string of web coming out of his ass was proof of that. _Where the hell did he come from?!_ I was starting to panic! "Your youki is returning to you. I thought it would have taken you at least a full day to regain it. You must be stronger than we originally thought."

I opened my mouth to speak, a snarky comment at the tip of my tongue. Unfortunately, all that came out was a hoarse, high-pitched squeak. The great Lady Ayame of the Northern Lands was speechless and terrified. That was a first. The demon chuckled.

"Speechless, I see. Good," he sneered, lowering himself to right above my head. Another embarrassing squeak left my mouth as I scrambled to get away, my back colliding with the wall behind me. "I was growing quite tiresome of your voice. Now, down to business… You are the Elemental, correct?" All I could do was nod. "Excellent. To answer your question of why you are here, you will be the one to guide us into our succession. For so long, we have been looked down upon and treated as scum. For so long, we have been inferior! But now, NOW, we have you. YOU will lead us to our rightful placed and YOU will destroy anyone that gets in our way!" The maniacal laughter that followed really made me question his sanity.

"Right," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "There's no way in hell I'm doing that."

"Ah, but you don't have a choice, my dear Lady Ayame. For you see, the same venom that caused your youki to temporarily disappear will also send your youki to spiral out of control. And the potion that the venom was placed into will enable me to devour your very essence. I will become just. Like. You! And no one will be able to stop me!" More maniacal laughter. If his words weren't enough to send me running for the hills, then his laughter was.

I was screwed. So very screwed.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for taking so long, but I was out of town and then I got a horrible sunburn and I feel absolutely miserable. I have little to no energy and I just want to sleep. However, I figured that since I love you guys and that I just started this story, I should suck it up and keep it moving! But anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write. I was able to get all evil and stuff. **

**Also, I apologize for the length. I promise that my chapters will no longer be this short, but I had to cut it off to leave you guys in suspense. I will try to post the next chapter tonight. If not, then it will be up either tomorrow or Thursday.**

**Don't forget to review, please! I LOVE feedback!**


	6. Cruel

I could feel it; the instability of my youki. It was like having red hot lava swarming inside of you, pushing against organs and cooking you from the inside out. I panted, turning myself onto my left side, my arms clutching my stomach. My youki would flare wildly at random points in time and then disappear as if it was never there. The pain of it all was excruciating and I didn't know how much more I could take.

Another flare of my youki and the ground began to tremble. Apparently, it was calling out to the earth. For what reason, I did not know. I just wanted to be saved. I wanted Lord Sesshomaru. A scream pierced through the air, filled with pain. It took me a moment to realize that it was me._ I_ was screaming. _I _was succumbing to the pain. _I_ was dying.

I didn't want to, but the tears fell anyway. I'd never be able to see my friend again. And Lord Inutaisho's hugs; I'd never get those again. I'd never again hear his boisterous laughter or his taunts directed at his son. I'd no longer be at the receiving end of Lord Sesshomaru's glare. I would no longer hear his voice.

On the upside, I'd be free from Mother and Ryonji. I wouldn't have to mate with Takken, either. I'd never have to set foot inside the Northern Lands ever again. I'd rather die than do those things. _But Lord Inutaisho and Sesshomaru would miss me. They'd be hurt that I gave in so easily._ But was it all worth it? Was it worth going back to Mother?

Another scream tore its way from my throat, thick puddles of blood following. It was tearing me apart. I was killing myself. I rolled over onto my right side. I couldn't stand to see the blood—my blood—beneath me. It only provided proof that I wasn't going to make it. Seriously, how could I die this way? I had so much left to do; to say. Of course, I always knew that I'd die someday, but I didn't think today would be it. I wasn't ready. Hell, I'd never be ready.

Shudders wracked my pale, limp body. I was so cold and yet on the inside, I was burning. I just wanted to be held right now. I wanted someone to take the pain away. I would've given anything to have Father next to me, stroking my hair and telling me that it'd all be okay. More screams coursed through the cell, bouncing off the walls and causing my ears to ring unpleasantly. I just wanted it to end.

I felt myself slipping. I couldn't hold on anymore. I felt numb all over. I was dying; for real this time. I coughed. It was weak. Blood oozed from my lips. _Why me? What have I done wrong? What have I done to deserve this?_ More coughs and more blood. There was so much blood.

The cell door opened and multiple footsteps could be heard. I wasn't sure just how many demons there were. Damn spider demons and their multitude of legs!

"The time is nigh," the demon rasped, a hairy appendage stroking the side of my face. Had I enough energy, I would have kicked his nasty ass! "Soon you will be dead and we will rule in our rightful place."

I wanted to scream and lash out. I wanted to rip this asshole to pieces. But more importantly, I wanted to live. I just wanted to live.

"Heh," I wheezed, coughing up more blood. It hurt to breathe, but I refused to go down without a fight. "You're…an idiot…"

"Ha! It is _you_ that is an idiot. You were captured and killed by us! We are considered inferior and yet a _Lady_ stood no chance against us! Soon we will be INVINCIBLE!" The evil laughter made me realize it was the same demon from before. You know, the crazy one. "Any last words, wench?"

"Yeah." I forced myself onto my back to look the youkai in the eye…s. Seriously, he had like four of them. How had I not noticed beforehand? I took a shuddering breath, one that felt like my last. "Fuck…you…"

The ground began to tremble once more, but this time it wasn't from me. There was another youki present. One so powerful that it had me shaking. I wasn't afraid of the demon releasing the energy, but my instincts were. It was only natural to fear those more powerful and this demon was at the top.

"What the…?" the demon exclaimed, looking around the cell in absolute fear. I wanted to laugh. "What is going on?!"

"They're…here… You…will…die." Another shuddering breath. "They won't…let you…live…"

"But how? Everything was going according to plan! It was flawless! There weren't any places for error! What could have gone wrong?"

"You're…an…idiot…" I repeated.

"N-No! I won't believe it! I—" The back wall was blown to pieces, cutting off the spider's rant. Judging from the youki, the newcomer was very, _very_ angry. And judging by the amount of anger rolling off of the youkai in waves, I knew anyone that got in the way would be slaughtered. "I-It's y-you! P-Please, d-d-don't hurt me! I'll do whatever you want. J-Just please—" In a flash of light, the youkai was nothing more than a pile of ashes.

"Hn. Pathetic," the newcomer spoke. A shaky smile spread across my lips. I knew he'd come for me. I just wished it was sooner. But as Father always said, _"It's better for help to come after you truly needed it, than not at all."_ Father should have been a prophet. "Ayame." Clawed fingers stroked my cheek tenderly. I hadn't even heard him move.

"Y-You…c-came…" I breathed, struggling to contain my tremors. "I…I thought…" I started to cough, blood spewing from my mouth. God, I hoped I didn't get any on him. That would have been most embarrassing.

"Do not speak. Save your energy."

I felt myself being hoisted bridal-style into strong arms. Looking up into golden eyes, I realized I'd zoned out again. My mind was all over the place and I couldn't focus on one single thing. I guessed that was what happened when someone was dying.

"L-Lo…L-Lor… L—"

"This Sesshomaru told you to refrain from speaking," Sesshomaru growled, tightening his grip on me. "You will obey!"

I almost laughed. He was desperate and worried. For once in his life, Sesshomaru didn't know what to do. It made me want to laugh, but I knew it would be painful and I wasn't about to go through that again. It already hurt to breathe and I was doing a hell of a lot of that; I didn't need any more pain.

"I am…dying…" I whispered, my eyes welling with tears. Speaking it aloud made it so much more real. "I won't…make it… P-Please… P-Please…" Silent tears made their way down my cheeks. I was leaving my best friend and surrogate father behind. If I had my way, I'd overcome the venom and stay with them. But obviously, fate had other plans.

"No, you will not die," he hissed, his golden eyes narrowed. "This Sesshomaru will not allow you to die."

I laughed then. It was raspy and weak, but it was a laugh nonetheless. How silly we were to believe that he'd be able to save me; that his words meant anything. I knew what I was feeling and I knew what it meant.

_Oh, fates._ I thought to myself, my eyes closing. _How cruel you are._


	7. The Reason Why

**A/N: Okay, so hopefully you guys will read this note first. This chapter has a second part that goes along with it. I know it's confusing, but there's a reason behind it. I don't want my story to be predictable and I'm trying to keep you all on your toes. It will eventually smooth out, but for now, there will be "WTF" moments. Anyways, the purpose of this Author's Note was to say that the confusion is normal and that the next chapter will clear it all up. I promise. **

**Also, I want to give a special thanks to** _The Blue Monster Cake_** and** _AmyRoseAlice _**for the very inspiring reviews. I also want to thank each of you who are reading and those who have added this story to your favorites and have followed it. You guys are so awesome!**

* * *

Pain. So. Much. PAIN! Nowhere to escape. Can't think; can't function; can't breathe. So close. Just give up. Just a little more.

_No! Get up! GET UP! _

But the pain… It hurt to move. Just don't move!

_Move! Don't die! Don't give up! Get up! GET UP! _

No, please. Please, don't. Just stay here; just lay here. The pain will be gone soon. Just a little more.

_Get up. _

**Don't. **

_Move! _

**Please. **

_Now! _

**No. **

_Fight!_

**It hurt. **

_Get over it! _

**No, please. **

_Get up. _

_Get up! _

_Get UP!_

_GET UP! _

**GET UP! **

_Yes! _

**So much blood. **

_Ours. _

**Why? **

_You know why._

**Him? **

_Yes. _

**Here?**

_Yes. _

**Where?**

_Standing. _

**Over?**

_Yes. _

**Why? **

_You know why. _

**Yes. Help?**

_None. _

**Why?**

_Too far. _

**Home?**

_NO! _

**Please? **

_Can't. _

**Why? **

_You know why. _

**Stay here?**

_Get up!_

**Now?**

_Yes! _

**Can't. **

_Fight! _

**Darkness. **

_Open your eyes! _

**Now? **

_Yes. _

**Why? **

_You know why. _

**So much blood. **

_Stand. _

**Now? **

_Yes. _

My eyes opened. There was so much blood.

** How did I get here? **

_Him. _

**Who?**

_You know who. _

**Where is he? **

_Above. _

I looked up. He was standing above me, looking down at me. He scared me.

**But why? **

_You know why. _

My vision focused. There was a man standing over me.

**A man I knew? **

_Yes. _

I couldn't remember who he was. I didn't know who he was.

**Who is he?**

_You know who. _

My eyes widened.

**_Takken._**


	8. You Know Why

**A/N: This chapter takes place right where Chapter 7 left off. It's short because I didn't really need to go into too much detail. I know I said before that my chapters will never be small like this, but an exception had to be made. Although, I can almost guarantee that this will be the shortest chapter in this story.**

**Anywhoo, HAPPY READING! And don't forget to review! I want to know what you guys think!  
**

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I stared up into the eyes of an angry Takken. Honestly, I couldn't remember how I even got on the floor. It seemed that everything that happened before that point was just a blur. It didn't make sense. Nor did it make sense the reason I was bleeding. Perhaps I tripped and fell?

_Don't be an idiot. _

No, of course I didn't fall. I was a youkai. Youkai weren't clumsy and I was certainly no exception. So the only other option was that I was forced to the ground. But how?

_Training?_

Were we training? Was Takken training me in hand-to-hand combat? I took in my surroundings, noting the pale lilac walls of my bedroom. That was a weird place to train someone.

_Fool. _

A sharp pain in my side forced me face-down onto the ground. I didn't understand. What was happening? Why was I in so much pain? I coughed up blood, rolling onto my side to curl into myself. Why was this happening?

"You are pathetic, Ayame. You do not deserve your status. You are weak," the voice above me taunted, rolling me back onto my front; a pressure on my spine kept me in place. "You like to believe that you are strong, but you are not. Your father would have been ashamed of you."

A choked sob escaped my lips at the mention of Father. He would have been ashamed of me? Why? I didn't understand! Help me to understand!

"I-I… I…" I gasped. It hurt too much to speak.

"You what? You do not think he'd be ashamed of you?" I shook my head weakly. "Then you are a bigger fool than I thought you to be!" Another sharp pain in my side and I was against the wall on the other side of the room.

**What is happening? **

_You know what's happening! _

I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was more blood. I didn't understand.

"W-Why…?" I finally managed to gasp, curling into myself once more.

"Why? You _know_ why!"


	9. Premonition

It hurt. God did it hurt! It was like being ripped apart and then put back together slowly and painfully. Was this what it felt like to die? Am I even dead? I gasped out a breath. Hell, even _that_ hurt.

"Welcome back," a deep voice grunted from above me. _Shit! He's here! _Panicked, I awaken fully, jumping up into a fighting stance. The pain that wracked through my body proved that it was a dumb idea. Shit, what happened? "Calm yourself, woman."

Focusing, I recognized the youkai in front of. With a squeal of glee, I launched myself onto one nearest me, my pain momentarily forgotten. I'd thought for sure I was going to die, but they saved me. I'm still alive!

"I'm still alive! I thought I was dying, but I wasn't!" I exclaimed, tightening my grip. "I'm so relieved!"

"Actually, Lady Ayame, you did indeed die," Inutaisho clarified from behind me. I whirled around to face him, the dull aching of pain returning.

"I don't understand."

"The venom killed you. This Sesshomaru tried to remove it, but it had spread too quickly through your body. You did not make it."

"So, how am I alive right now?"

"Tenseiga brought you back," Inutaisho informed. "It is good for _something_, no?" A quick, mocking look in Sesshomaru's direction told me that he wasn't speaking to me. Well, that and the deep growl that resonated from behind me. I cocked my head to the side in confusion.

"So, every time I die, you can bring me back?" I asked, my mind coming up with several reckless things to do.

"No."

"I don't understand."

"It can only revive you once, Ayame. Please, do well to remember that."

I nodded my head in understanding, but I was still confused. If I died as they said I did, then what was with that dream? Was it even a dream? It all seemed so real and yet it there was no way that it had happened yet.

"Speak your mind," Sesshomaru snapped. I felt his glare even if I couldn't see it. It was just that powerful.

"I-I had a…dream, I guess you could say," I finally spoke after a few moments. Inutaisho cocked his head to the right.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I was in so much pain and bleeding. And Takken—" A snarl from Sesshomaru at the mention of my betrothed's name forced a smile on my face. "—was standing over me. I'm not exactly sure what happened." It was a lie. I knew exactly what happened, but to tell the Western Lord and his son would sign Takken's death. I hated the guy, but I didn't want him dead.

"I see," Inutaisho drawled, rubbing his chin in concentration. "I have not heard of such a thing. Rest and I will get to the bottom of this."

With that said, he and his son were gone. I took the opportunity to scan my surroundings. I was standing over a bed pushed against the far wall of the room, a large window above it. In front of me was a shoji door, closed tightly. On the wall to the left of the bed was a folding door that I knew opened to large sitting room with a low table and cushions. A small dresser sat up against the bed. I was in the room I had claimed as my own within the Western Palace. Mother used to scold me about claiming territory where I had no right to, but Lord Inutaisho didn't mind. In fact, whenever I came to visit, I would end up sleeping in this room.

Flopping back down onto my bed, I thought about my "dream." It felt real, but if I was supposedly dead, how exactly did one dream? And not only that, but what did the dream mean? Was there trouble ahead? Forcing the thoughts to the back of my mind, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Sun streaming through the window woke me up. I was still sore, but the pain had diminished greatly. I guessed it was just the aftereffects of dying and being brought back to life. Stretching, I forced myself from my bed. It would do no good to just lie around and do nothing. I wanted to be productive. I needed to get my mind off of things.

First things first, a nice, hot, relaxing bath was in order, followed by a gentle pampering from a couple of maids. And last, but not least, some food.

Once those things were taken care of, I began my search for my surrogate father. I found him in his study, Sesshomaru seated to his right. Both looked up upon my arrival. I knew I was supposed to knock, but being here so often allowed leniency from Lord Inutaisho. As long as I spoke nothing of what I heard, he didn't particularly care.

"Ah, Lady Ayame," Lord Inutaisho greeted, a wide grin on his face. "I take it you slept well?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you."

He nodded, leaning away from his desk and the piles of paperwork scattered about.

"Is there something you needed?" Sesshomaru asked, narrowing his eyes. I wasn't sure if it was a warning or concern. You can never be too sure with Lord Icicle over there.

"Um, no, not really," I started, looking down at my intertwined fingers nervously. "I was just wondering if there was something I could do. You know, to assist you in finding out about the reason behind my dream."

"Your assistance is not needed."

My eyes snapped up to his in a heated glare. How dare he? It was _my_ dream and _my_ death! He didn't have to experience it! It wasn't his burden to carry! However, the anger subsided once I studied him. He wasn't trying to be mean. In fact, it was the complete opposite. He was trying to protect me. My eyes softened and I bowed, leaving the room with a quick "thank you."

Anyone who ever said that Lord Sesshomaru was a cold-hearted bastard knew nothing of him. He was just simply misunderstood. He was blunt and straightforward, but, even though it was highly annoying, that's what I liked about him. He never beat around the bush. He'd tell you his opinion and leave it at that. I just wished he was more sensitive to the emotions of others, though.

Sighing, I took the steps down to the lower level of the palace. It was nothing but large rooms meant for dining and meetings here, along with a kitchen. I trekked my way out of the front doors and took a left to reach the garden. I'd always loved coming out here. It was nice, just like the one back home, but this garden didn't carry such painful memories; nor did I scorch any of the plants here. I giggled to myself at the thought. If I knew that Mother would turn into such a bitch, I'd have singed the entire garden. All her hard work would have been in vain.

Walking a little farther, I found my favorite tree and slumped against it, sliding into a sitting position. It wasn't fair that Father died. Sometimes I wished that Mother would have taken his place. At least then I'd be happy and none of this would have happened. But then again, I wouldn't be so close to Lord Inutaisho and Lord Sesshomaru. _ I guess some good came out of your death, Father._

Blinking back tears, I noticed that it was considerably darker than it was when I'd first come outside. _Had I been sitting here that long?_ Pushing myself off the ground, I dusted off my backside. I'd missed both lunch and dinner, so there was no since waking someone up just to feed me. Shrugging, I began my journey back to my room, getting ready for bed.

Sleep didn't come easy. I tossed and turned for hours. It seemed that no matter what I did, I just couldn't grasp the reason behind that stupid dream! It just didn't make sense. I turned over onto my left side, wrapping myself in the blankets. A few minutes later, I was on my right side.

_What am I missing?!_

I forced my eyes closed, breathing deeply to calm my mind. As I finally started to drift off, a sudden realization started me into a sitting position.

The dream I'd had wasn't a dream at all.

_It was a premonition! _

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**A/N: I hope that cleared it all up for you guys. The next chapter will be a skip in time, but just remember all that has happened so far. The shit is about to hit the fan! I'm so excited! **

**Anyways, don't forget to review! I love reading what you guys have to say!**


	10. Reality

**A/N: Okay, so first and foremost, I must apologize for not uploading sooner. I've been really sick these past few weeks. I had a sinus infection and it was REALLY bad; so bad that I couldn't sleep because it hurt to breathe. And on top of that, my back has been acting up, so I've been taking pain meds that make me loopy. So, needless to say, I've been pretty messed up. I hope you guys can forgive me for leaving you guys hanging like that. **

**On another note, I know this chapter looks familiar, but I promise that it isn't. Well, it kind of is, but... Damn it, just read it and see what happens. I know it's short, but I JUST wrote it and now I'm working on Chapter 11 and hopefully I can have it up by tonight. If not, then it will be up tomorrow. **

**Happy Readings!**

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I stared up into the eyes of an angry Takken. Honestly, I couldn't remember how I even got on the floor. It seemed that everything that happened before that point was just a blur. It didn't make sense. Nor did it make sense the reason I was bleeding. Perhaps I tripped and fell?

_Don't be an idiot. _

No, of course I didn't fall. I was a youkai. Youkai weren't clumsy and I was certainly no exception. So the only other option was that I was forced to the ground. But how?

_Training?_

Were we training? Was Takken training me in hand-to-hand combat? I took in my surroundings, noting the pale lilac walls of my bedroom. That was a weird place to train someone.

_Fool. _

A sharp pain in my side forced me face-down onto the ground. I didn't understand. What was happening? Why was I in so much pain? I coughed up blood, rolling onto my side to curl into myself. Why was this happening?

"You are pathetic, Ayame. You do not deserve your status. You are weak," the voice above me taunted, rolling me back onto my front; a pressure on my spine kept me in place. "You like to believe that you are strong, but you are not. Your father would have been ashamed of you."

A choked sob escaped my lips at the mention of Father. He would have been ashamed of me? Why? I didn't understand! Help me to understand!

"I-I… I…" I gasped. It hurt too much to speak.

"You what? You do not think he'd be ashamed of you?" I shook my head weakly. "Then you are a bigger fool than I thought you to be!" Another sharp pain in my side and I was against the wall on the other side of the room.

**What is happening? **

_You know what's happening! _

I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was more blood. I didn't understand.

"W-Why…?" I finally managed to gasp, curling into myself once more.

"Why? You _know_ why!"

It has been about 10 years since I had that premonition. And it had come true. The pain started about 5 years ago and it only got worse. I could not fight back. I was too weak. I was not sure exactly what had happened, but my youki had been draining over the past few years. I could have easily been mistaken for a human, if not for my appearance.

"T-Takken… Please…" I muttered, forcing myself onto my hands and knees.

"And now you're begging!" he laughed, kicking me onto my side. "Oh, it can't possibly get any better than this!"

"P-Please…"

"You know, _Lady Ayame_," he spat, towering over me. "You are all bark and no bite. You _humiliated_ me with your beloved youki, but where is it now, huh? Why aren't you fighting back? It's because you're WEAK!" His foot caught me in the stomach, forcing me harder against the wall. "You don't deserve anything that has been given to you!" Kneeling, he gripped my chin firmly, forcing me to look up at him. "But you know that, don't you? And now, there isn't a single soul who can help you. Poor Ayame, all alone. But you always have me, Ayame. Isn't that enough?"

"Fuck you!" I spat, my saliva splattering against his face.

He bellowed in anger, backhanding me with such force I blacked out for about five seconds. The hit hurt, but the pain in my chest was nothing compared to that. Breathing heavily, he rose to his full height, glaring down at me.

"You are alone, Ayame. No one else cares about you or your well-being. All you have left is me. And you will do well to remember that."


End file.
